Science & Society Festival

On its 50th anniversary, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), together with partners from science and research, is transforming Vienna’s Maria-Theresien-Platz into a garden of curiosity.

Visitors are invited to stroll through 18 scientific pop-up pavilions and get to know researchers who are one step ahead internationally. Fascinating exhibits and the exciting world of basic research, as well as the FWF Dialogue Arena are inviting to discuss scientific progress and social responsibility. Children and school students can kindle their curiosity at an exciting research rally and in two experimenter mobiles. The very youngest newcomers are in good hands at the mini-research club.

Researchers from IIASA and the Wittgenstein Centre (IIASA, VID/ÖAW, WU), led by World Population Program (POP) Director Wolfgang Lutz, will represent the topic of demography in a separate pavilion:

Hand grip strengthVisitors can measure their hand grip strength and learn about its importance

Life expectancyAn exhibition by the Science Center Netzwerk using www.population.io will enable visitors to learn about more about their statistical life expectancy.

Demography quizWith the help of bandolinos teens will be able to broaden their demographic vocabulary

Population pyramidsKids will get to know population pyramids with the help of three puzzles that show the development of the Austrian population.

Festival populationVisitors can leave their age and gender information on cards showing a sketch of a human being. We will then daily update the information of the “festival population”. The information will be given in the format of a population pyramid.

Also join IIASA Energy Program Director Keywan Riahion 9 September from 14:00-15:30 on "Climate Crisis: Last Chance Missed?", and IIASA collaborator Marina Fischer-Kowalski at the symposium on "Social Ecology: Research for a Sustainable Future," which will discuss sustainability and interdisciplinary research and honor her with the Society Prize.